Letter from the Vestry of St. Philip's Church, New Hanover County to John MacDowell

St. Philip's Parish (New Hanover County)

March 24,
1761

Volume 06, Pages 537-538

[From North Carolina Letter Book. S. P. G.]

The Vestry to the Revd Mr. Macdowell

Brunswick, 24th March 1761.

Revd Sir,

The vestry have taken into consideration, the difficulties you alledge in officiating at the Blue Banks during the 2 hot & 2 cold months; and are content, that you be permitted to exchange the Sundays in July & Augt allotted for that Chapel with Brunswick, for other Sundays in a more moderate season, you giving due notice of such exchange, & as to cold months, we know of none in this Country, to prevent one of your healthy constitution, from riding 24 miles: indeed a day of bad weather may happen now & then for which accident, all reasonable allowance will be made, as heretofore has been made. As to the addition of Salary which you insist on, we cannot but observe, that when you agreed to serve the cure of this Parish on the 5th June 1758, you thankfully accepted of £100 a

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year, when your family was larger than it is now, and you willingly undertook harder duty than is now proposed to you. But now Sr his excellency the Govr & the vestry, having by their joint recommendation of you, procured £50 sterl. a year, the generous bounty of the Society for propagating the Gospel, you disdain to accept from our Parish 120 Proclamation money a year, you discover difficulties in the exercise of your function, which never before occur'd, & you are pleased to insist on such a salary as they never have given, & such as many of this Parish, in the present distress'd state of their Trade and circumstances cannot easily give. If you are pleased to continue on the terms we have now proposed, we shall be glad to contribute all in our power, to make ev'ry part of your duty, agreeable to you,